For many years, Saab had been involved in professional rally racing,
and was very successful with drivers such as the legendary Erik Carlsson
behind the wheel. The company ceased participating in international
rallying in 1980 but has re-emerged this year with a specially-prepared,
300-horsepower 900-series Turbo.

The Swedish company's roots are significant in terms of automotive
development: it mass-produced vehicles with transverse-mounted engines
and front-wheel-drive decades before the layout became popular. Our test
car for the week, the 900 Turbo sedan is built this way, and despite its
strong financial ties with General Motors, (GM owns half of Saab) it
still retains a strong Swedish flavor.

OUTSIDE - The 900 SE Turbo is available as a coupe, sedan or
convertible, and all three possess that unmistakable Saab profile. Our
test sedan is the newest Saab Turbo, and we feel its practicality is
nearly immeasurable. Four doors allow easy entry and exit, while its
hatchback design gives nearly 50 cubic feet of usable cargo space with
the rear seats folded flat. SE Turbo models come with such standard
exterior features as unique three-spoke alloy wheels, body-colored
bumpers and a sporty rear spoiler. Saab has always placed safety at the
top of its priority list, and since 1972, Saab engineers have critically
analyzed many accidents involving Saab automobiles on the highways of
Sweden. This way, crucial information about how Saabs respond to crashes
help the company build safer cars. Extensive side-impact protection,
along with front and rear crumple zone and "safety cage" construction
are but a few of Saab's safety features.

INSIDE - The front seats are very upright, but with the standard
eight-way power adjustments, almost anyone can find a comfortable
position. The dashboard is also vertical, with an abundance of buttons
and large, legible gauges and a twist knob for the headlights. There is
ample room inside, even in back, where three adults can travel in
comfort. Leather upholstery is standard on all SE models, as is a
hide-wrapped steering wheel, shift knob and shifter boot. A tasteful
amount of walnut trim enhances the dash. A high-powered stereo is
standard, along with a power glass sunroof, automatic climate control,
and a three-position memory for the driver's seat.

ON THE ROAD - The 900 SE Turbo is powered by a turbocharged 2.0
liter twin-cam inline four cylinder engine which uses special counter-
rotating balance shafts to keep vibrations to a minimum. Saab was among
the leaders in modern turbocharging, and the latest 900 Turbo is its
best to date. Power lags somewhat off the line, but when the turbo
"spools" up, the car leaps forward explosively and sends those inside
back into their seats. Its fuel economy is excellent if the driver
exorcises restraint, as the intercooled turbo barely works unless the
throttle is pushed to the floor. Saab's own Trionic engine management
system works well to keep turbo boost in balance with fuel economy,
atmospheric conditions and driver responses.

BEHIND THE WHEEL - The Saab Turbo sacrifices some ride quality for
handling control. The 900 uses unit-body construction with MacPherson
strut front suspension and a simple twist-beam rear axle. The chassis is
derived from the Calibra, a car General Motors builds for the European
market, and is stiff and well-engineered. Compared to the more mundane
Saab 900 models, the Turbo rides on stiffer anti-roll bars front and
rear, tauter gas-pressurized shocks, and beefier 205/50ZR-16 tires. This
is noticeable on the road, as the car clomps over broken pavement and
potholes more noticeably than its sister car. Its power rack-and-pinion
steering system provides responsive turn-in and good road feel, while
four-wheel disc brakes with an anti-lock braking system (ABS) are
standard.

SAFETY - Dual airbags, ABS and side-impact protection are standard.
Such items as a console-mounted ignition key, seat belt pre-tensioners
and daytime running headlamps are also considered safety features.

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